BOSTON — For the Celtics, the injury list has accumulated some pretty high-level talent this season, dating back to the ACL injury that knocked All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo out for the year in January. More recently, though, Rondo has been joined by small forward Paul Pierce (ankle) and power forward Kevin Garnett (ankle).

Pierce is a short-term concern, missing Friday’s game against Cleveland but expected to return on Sunday when the Celtics face the Wizards.

Garnett’s injury has been more stubborn, but in a good turn for the Celtics, coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Garnett could return on Sunday, though his endorsement of that possibility was lukewarm. “Most likely, but I’m just saying that to give you an answer,” he said.

Garnett, averaging 14.9 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds, was out for seven games with the ankle injury before the Cleveland game, and Boston was 3-4 in those games. The Celtics have a pretty solid hold on the No. 7 seed in the East, sitting 2.5 games ahead of the eight-seeded Bucks and 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Hawks.